Mega Development Next to Angel Stadium Gains Anaheim Council Approval

The Anaheim City Council Tuesday unanimously approved a $450 million mega-development slated to be built next to Angel Stadium, which, until recently, was fiercely opposed by Angels Baseball.

The development by the Hong Kong-based LT Global Development would include 405 condominium and apartment units, nearly 700,000 square feet of commercial and office space and a 200-room hotel.

The plans for the 14.8 acre property also include park space that would be available to the public, a “town square” at the center of the development, and a police substation.

The project could revive plans for the Platinum Triangle, which, before the Great Recession hit, city leaders saw as a catalyst for bringing an urban village concept to the resort district.

The developer claims the project will create 5,000 construction jobs, 1,100 permanent jobs and and $5 million in annual tax revenue for the city’s general fund.

Early in the project’s conception, representatives from the city’s Major League Baseball team opposed the project, citing traffic and parking concerns and the potential that the project would squash their own plans for a development around Angel Stadium.

The team stopped short of suing the city, instead filing an administrative appeal to a Planning Commission decision and voicing displeasure about the pace of the project’s approvals at multiple council meetings.

A City Council vote on the project was continued from a September meeting at the request of LT Global, which said it had made significant progress in its negotiations with the baseball team.

Unlike previous public hearings, the Angels did not have a representative speak at the meeting Tuesday and neither party offered details on how their dispute was resolved.

“We talked. It’s what neighbors do, and we were pleased to resolve their operational concerns,” said LT Global Spokesman Steve Greyshock. “It was really a positive outcome for all involved and we look forward to a long, constructive relationship with Angels Baseball.”

Councilwoman Kris Murray asked city staff to work with Angels Baseball to study traffic issues around the stadium.

“The Angels have been an important part of the fabric of our community…we want to make sure there are no adverse impacts on the stadium,” Murray said.

UNITE-HERE Local 11 representative Martin Lopez said the union, which represents hotel and resort workers, opposes the project because the developer has refused to meet or return their calls.

Contact Thy Vo at tvo@voiceofoc.org or follow her on Twitter @thyanhvo.

Join the discussion

Wait, a mega-project that doesn’t require city subsidies??!? Unthinkable!

“The Angels have been an important part of the fabric of our community…we want to make sure there are no adverse impacts on the stadium,” Murray said.

Even better, we could make sure that there are no adverse impacts on our community and actual Anaheim residents, rather than first getting the vapors over the potential sufferings of a building. (And are we going to force LT Global to do more mitigation than we require from, say, Disneyland? It now seems impossible to drive south on surface streets from the Colony to Santa Ana and Garden Grove and not get snarled up in Resort traffic. Let’s use this as an opportunity to level up standards across the city, rather than as a one-off chance to screw over someone who’s annoyed your wealthy friend.)

But perhaps Murray has her eye on the long game here. Wanna bet that the traffic around the stadium will turn out to be terrible, horrible, and no-good as a result of the LT Global development, and we’ll need something to mitigate that traffic — like, say, a $300 million streetcar?

Rose Tingle

Have the politicians in Orange county lost their mind, more and more development without increasing services? The cities operate as though they live in a cocoon and what they do does not affect anyone else! The county supervisors, after 20 years of promises, 5 grand jury reports, lawsuits and protests, agreed to build one new county animal shelter to replace the current 75 year old delapdtated and unsanitary one. But unfortunately, Orange county is still behind with services. Our neighboring San Diego county, with the same population has 3 county animal shelters and 4 nonprofit humane society campuses teaching children Humane education and helping with adoptions……………..vs Orange county with one county animal shelter and ZERO nonprofit humane society campuses! What I have tried to explain to the supervisors is this issue is not just about animals, it is about our society! Humane
education is not a new concept – as early as 1933, the National PTA Congress issued
the following statement in support of humane education:

“Children trained to extend justice, kindness, and mercy to animals become more just, kind and considerate in their relations to each other. Character training along these lines will result in men and women of broader sympathies, more humane, more law-abiding – in every respect more valuable
citizens.
Humane education is teaching the principles of justice, goodwill, and humanity toward all life. The cultivation of the spirit of kindness to animals is but the starting point of every race and clime. A generation of people trained in these principles will solve their international difficulties as
neighbors and not as enemies.”
This is a “community” issue and by community I mean the community of Orange county. We, cities, constituents, corporations and the county need to work together to make it a better place for EVERYONE!!!!

David Zenger

“The Angels have been an important part of the fabric of our community…we want to make sure there are no adverse impacts on the stadium,” Murray said.

Yes. And Murray tried to give them a giant swatch of that fabric for 60 years. And for free.

RyanCantor

Maybe she should try getting the Angels to fulfill their contract and complete all the maintenance they’ve deferred on the stadium.

We wouldn’t want any adverse impact on the stadium.

David Zenger

The unintended irony of most things that tumble out of the mouths of MurryCo.®, Brandman, Inc.® and Kringle Enterprises® is truly astonishing.

RyanCantor

Oh, like the Murray classic that the land around Angel stadium is worthless?